Tabs

Friday, June 27, 2014

When I was a kid and into my teen years, I was always involved in an extracurricular activity. Although it was usually swim team, I also gave softball and track a try, and for a while I spent time after school at band practice playing the drums.

That's why I just assumed when I became a parent, my children would naturally gravitate toward the extracurriculars that fit with their interests.

Turns out, my kids are very hard to please when it comes to finding those interests.

My son is 10, and while I had great hope for baseball after several years of his participation on the same team, he ultimately lost interest after his first season of kid-pitch. He tried soccer too, but he was more interested in chit-chatting on the sidelines than kicking the ball. He did enjoy chess club this past school year, but that met only once a week for a few short months.

I've since offered everything I can think of. Basketball. Tennis. Lego Club. Swim team. Guitar lessons. But every suggestion landed me a "no, Mom, I don't want to do that."

So when Big C approached me a couple weeks ago asking me to sign him up for a 5K, I jumped on it. I bought him new running shoes. I got the MapMyRun app on my phone because it's more visual for him than my Garmin watch. And the most important part, I signed us both up for one of my favorite local races on the 4th of July.

I love running, and I'm thrilled Big C has taken an interest in it as well. He even mentioned that he's considering joining the track team in middle school. Of course a lot can change in the next year before middle school starts, but it's the first time since his coach-pitch baseball days that he's expressed even the slightest interest in pursuing a sport.

We're in training now for his first 5K. Not to leave his sister out of the fun, Little C straps on her helmet and coaches us from her bike.